System and method for quantification of muscle and fat using abdominal CT imaging

Abstract

A system and method for quantifying muscle and fat from abdominal image data. An input is configured to receive the abdominal image data from a CT imaging system. A non-transitive computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions. A processor is configured to receive the abdominal image data and access the storage medium to execute instructions. The executed instructions perform automated segmentation of the abdominal image data into at least one of a subcutaneous fat compartment, a muscle compartment, or a visceral fat compartment. One or more of the compartments are compared to a predetermined threshold to identify corresponding boundaries thereof. An area of one or more of the compartments is calculated based on the corresponding boundaries and predetermined threshold. A display is coupled to the processor and configured to display the at least one subcutaneous fat compartment, muscle compartment, or visceral fat compartment on the abdominal image data.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for quantifying muscle and fat from abdominal image data, the system comprising:
 an input configured to receive the abdominal image data from a CT imaging system; 
 a non-transitive computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions; 
 a processor configured to receive the abdominal image data and access the non-transitive computer-readable storage medium to execute instructions to carry out the steps of:
 perform automated segmentation of the abdominal image data into at least one of a subcutaneous fat compartment, a muscle compartment, or a visceral fat compartment; 
 compare the at least one subcutaneous fat compartment, muscle compartment, or visceral fat compartment to a predetermined threshold to identify corresponding boundaries thereof; 
 calculate an area of the at least one subcutaneous fat compartment, muscle compartment, or visceral fat compartment based on the corresponding boundaries and predetermined threshold; and 
 
 a display coupled to the processor and configured to display the at least one subcutaneous fat compartment, muscle compartment, or visceral fat compartment on the abdominal image data. 
 
     
     
       2. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the corresponding boundaries are identified using at least one of CT attenuation thresholding, Fourier fitting, or an alpha-shape function. 
     
     
       3. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the predetermined threshold for muscle is between about −30 and about 200 Hounsfield units and the predetermined threshold for fat is between about −200 and about −30 Hounsfield units. 
     
     
       4. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the corresponding boundaries include at least one of an air-subcutaneous fat interface, a subcutaneous fat-muscle interface, muscle-visceral fat interface, or muscle-abdominal wall muscle interface. 
     
     
       5. The system as recited in  claim 4  wherein the subcutaneous fat-muscle interface is identified using a radial scanned image created from a centroid thereof. 
     
     
       6. The system as recited in  claim 4  wherein the muscle-visceral fat interface includes an anterior portion, a posterior portion, and an anterior edge of a spine, the anterior portion created using an alpha-shape function to identify and connect peripheral most points of the corresponding boundary. 
     
     
       7. The system as recited in  claim 6  wherein the posterior portion of the muscle-visceral fat interface is created by identifying a paraspinal area defined by an anterior edge of the spine, a posterior edge of the subcutaneous fat-muscle interface, and a line extending across the anterior portion of the muscle-visceral fat interface. 
     
     
       8. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the processor is further configured to create at least one mask for the at least one subcutaneous fat compartment, muscle compartment, or visceral fat compartment to calculate the area, the at least one mask including at least one of a colonic mask or a spine and bone mask. 
     
     
       9. The system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a manual correction tool on the display for manually correcting the corresponding boundaries. 
     
     
       10. A method for quantifying muscle and fat from abdominal image data, the method comprising the steps of:
 acquiring abdominal image data from a CT imaging system; 
 performing, using a processor coupled to the CT imaging system, automated segmentation of the abdominal image data into at least one of a subcutaneous fat compartment, a muscle compartment, or a visceral fat compartment; 
 comparing the at least one subcutaneous fat compartment, muscle compartment, or visceral fat compartment to a predetermined threshold to identify corresponding boundaries thereof; 
 calculating an area of the at least one subcutaneous fat compartment, muscle compartment, or visceral fat compartment based on the corresponding boundaries and predetermined threshold; and 
 displaying the at least one subcutaneous fat compartment, muscle compartment, or visceral fat compartment on the abdominal image data. 
 
     
     
       11. The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the corresponding boundaries are identified using at least one of CT attenuation thresholding, Fourier fitting, or an alpha-shape function. 
     
     
       12. The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the predetermined threshold for muscle is between about −30 and about 200 Hounsfield units and the predetermined threshold for fat is between about −200 and about −30 Hounsfield units. 
     
     
       13. The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the corresponding boundaries include at least one of an air-subcutaneous fat interface, a subcutaneous fat-muscle interface, muscle-visceral fat interface, or muscle-abdominal wall muscle interface. 
     
     
       14. The method as recited in  claim 13  wherein the subcutaneous fat-muscle interface is identified using a radial scanned image created from a centroid thereof. 
     
     
       15. The method as recited in  claim 13  wherein the muscle-visceral fat interface includes an anterior portion, a posterior portion, and an anterior edge of a spine, the anterior portion created using an alpha-shape function to identify and connect peripheral most points of the corresponding boundary. 
     
     
       16. The method as recited in  claim 15  wherein the posterior portion of the muscle-visceral fat interface is created by identifying a paraspinal area defined by an anterior edge of the spine, a posterior edge of the subcutaneous fat-muscle interface, and a line extending across the anterior portion of the muscle-visceral fat interface. 
     
     
       17. The method as recited in  claim 10  further including creating at least one mask for the at least one subcutaneous fat compartment, muscle compartment, or visceral fat compartment to calculate the area, the at least one mask including at least one of a colonic mask or a spine and bone mask. 
     
     
       18. The method as recited in  claim 10  further including correcting the corresponding boundaries using a manual correction tool.